4 great reasons to join a running club

New to running and not sure where to start? Joining a club could be just the ticket.

For beginner runners, the prospect of joining a running club can be intimidating. If you’ve only been running for a short time, you might not feel like a bona fide runner and worry about keeping up with Lycra-clad athletes.

But becoming a club member can improve your running in a myriad of ways. Now is the time to lace up your kicks and join the running revolution!

Friends for life

Perhaps one of the biggest incentives to join a running club is nothing to do with fitness at all – it’s actually the people you meet! Running clubs are packed to the rafters with likeminded people and you’ll soon make lots of new friends to chat to about your favourite sport.

Running pals also provide an excellent incentive to return every week, so sign up today and start making friends.

Make great strides

Surrounding yourself with experienced runners may be scary at first, but if you’re brave and make the leap, your run club buddies will have a positive impact on your running. Learn from your friends, reap the benefits of expert coaching available and watch your running soar.

Your fellow runners are also the best people to talk to about pacing, local physios, new running routes and kit tips.

Mix it up

We all have a favourite running route, but while it’s great to stick to a routine, sometimes you need to mix it up. Running clubs will encourage you to vary your training and add something different into the mix.

Many clubs work with coaches who organise different sessions including speed work, hills and longer runs. Take advantage of the experts and enjoy mixing up your runs.

Become a bona fide runner

When we first start out, many of us struggle to even call ourselves a runner. By entering a running club you will feel like you earned your place in the running community and embrace your new role as a bona fide runner.

In the words of the athlete Kara Goucher, ‘It doesn’t matter how fast or how far you’re going. If you’re putting on your shoes and going out for a run, you are a runner, you are in that club.’

To find a running club in your area visit runtogether.co.uk or chat to fellow runners right here at The Running Bug!